COUNTY NEWS: Third of region’s workers have fear of being ‘found out’

More than a third of people in the South East fear they will be “found out” for not being as able to do their job as their bosses and co-workers think they are, according to a new study.

Researchers from AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) carried out a detailed study into the mood of the region’s workforce and discovered people feel they aren’t good enough at work.

Thirty-four per cent of people in the south east expressed fears they will be exposed for not being as good at aspects of their job, slightly less than across the UK as a whole, where 40 per cent of people had the fear.

AAT also found 62 per cent of people in the south east admit they regularly feel ‘out of their depth’ at work, 49 per cent declare they feel they ‘chance their luck’ on aspects of their job and 36 per cent admit to using business “buzz words” while having absolutely no idea what they mean.

The study also found 50 per cent of people in the South East feel they are in a job they perhaps aren’t sufficiently qualified for, while 71 per cent went as far as to admit they were ‘lucky’ to secure their job given the competitive nature of the current employment market.

However, the research also revealed the majority (78 per ceny) are mostly happy in their chosen role. Fifty-seven per cent of workers expressed a desire for more on the job training to be made available to help them build their confidence.

Mark Farrar, chief executive of AAT, said: “The best way to boost your confidence and stop worrying about whether you are ‘out of your depth’ at work is to get some training.

“Studying for a qualification or training course will give you a strong foundation of knowledge, and could help put an end to feeling like you will be ‘found out’.

“The benefits of seeking training will not just help you in your career, but will also be of significant advantage to your employer, who will reap the rewards of having a more skilled, motivated and valuable worker in their ranks.”

Many people also expressed fears over the lack of a career ladder to aim for in their current job; 34 per cent of workers in the south east said they are in a ‘dead end job’, which made them feel less motivated.

The three most common reasons for people in the region feeling that they are in a dead end job are ‘there are no prospects of promotion’ (58 per cent), ‘the job is repetitive’ (39 per cent) and ‘there’s no chance for a pay rise’ (36 per cent).

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage

2) Like our Facebook page

3) Follow us on Twitter

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.